Mostly About Organized Crime

07/11/2009

Reputed Colombo capo Michael Uvino was sentenced to 10 years in prison following his conviction for the 2007 beat down he gave two men who robbed poker players at the Party Palace in Lindenhurst, Long Island. Kati Cornell from the New York Post reports that the sentence was not well received in the court room by either Uvino or his father Carmine Uvino:

A weeping Colombo capo needed a stack of tissues to get through the sob story he unleashed on a judge yesterday in a blubbering bid to stave off a stiff prison stretch. But Michael Uvino's waterworks failed to move Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein. * * * The sentence elicited a bizarre outburst from Uvino's dad, who ripped the judge and called an FBI agent a "snot nose" who should get cancer.

Sister Teresa Fitzgerald, who runs a charity that cares for the children of jailed women, told the judge that Uvino organized Christmas parties and fund-raisers. Outside court, Fitzgerald acknowledged she had been unaware the defendant was a reputed Mafioso. Asked if she would have spoken on Uvino's behalf if she'd known of his ties, Fitzgerald said she wasn't sure, but added, "I also believe people can change."

In imposing the ten-year sentence U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein told Uvino, as reported by John Riley for Newsday, "that even nonviolent mob rackets like gambling had contributed to the Mafia's destructive effects on the New York City region over four decades":

"He's sworn to be a man of the Mafia for his life, and I'm convinced he'll go back," Weinstein told Uvino's lawyer. "The youngsters in this city have to understand that they can't join this organization, and that when they do they destroy their lives."

Two other men convicted with Uvino in connection with the assault, Philip Costanza and Brian Dono, received 24 months and 46 months, respectively.

"You think we're stupid? You think we got where we are from being f------ stupid like you?" Costanza, 43, snarled at one victim, then threatened to sexually mutilate him. Uvino allegedly pistol-whipped one victim, then tossed a handgun to Dono, who placed the weapon in the man's mouth. "I'll kill your wife, your kid, everybody!" Dono said. "Who's the bitch now?" The victim is heard begging, "Please don't kill me! I'll do anything you want!"